Few female jazz singers matched the hard-swinging and equally hard-living Anita O'Day for sheer exuberance and talent in all areas of jazz vocals. Her improvising, wide dynamic tone, and innate sense of rhythm made her more than just another big-band canary. At a time when most female vocals tended to emphasize the sweet timbres of their voice, she chose to emphasize a path blazed by the one major jazz singer who emphasized message over medium - Billie Holiday. Like Holiday, O'Day combined the soaring freedom of jazz instrumentalist with the storytelling lyricism of a poet.
After making her solo debut in the mid-'40s she incorporated bop modernism into her vocals and recorded over a dozen of the best vocal LPs of the era.
During the late Forties, she recorded two dozen sides, mostly for small labels. The quality of these singles varies: O'Day was trying to achieve popular success without sacrificing her identity as a jazz singer. Among the more notable recordings from this period are "Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip", "Key Largo", "How High the Moon", and "Malaguena". O'Day's drug problems began to surface late in 1947, when she and husband Carl Hoff were arrested for possession of marijuana and sentenced to 90 days in jail. Her career was back on the upswing in September of 1948, when she sang with Count Basie at the Royal Roost in New York City, resulting in five airchecks. What secured O'Day's place in the jazz pantheon, however, are the seventeen albums she recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1962.
Her first album, Anita O'Day Sings Jazz (reissued as The Lady Is a Tramp), was recorded in 1956 for the newly established Verve Records (it was also the label's first LP). The album was a critical success and further boosted her popularity. In October of 1952 O'Day was again arrested for possession of marijuana, but found not guilty. The following March, she was arrested for possession of heroin. The case dragged on for most of 1953; O'Day was finally sentenced to six months in jail. Not long after her release from jail on February 25, 1954, she began work on her second album, Songs by Anita O'Day (reissued as An Evening with Anita O'Day). She recorded steadily throughout the Fifties, accompanied by small combos and big bands. In person, O'Day was generally backed by a trio which included the drummer with whom she would work for the next 40 years, John Poole.
As a live performer O'Day also began performing in festivals and concerts with such musicians as Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Dinah Washington, George Shearing, Cal Tjader, and Thelonious Monk. She appeared in the documentary Jazz on a Summer's Day, filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival which increased her popularity. The following year O'Day made a cameo appearance in The Gene Krupa Story , singing "Memories of You". Late in 1959 she toured Europe with Benny Goodman; according to her autobiography, when Goodman's attempts to upstage her failed to diminish the audience's enthusiasm, he cut all but two of her numbers from the show.
After the Goodman fiasco, O'Day went back to touring as a solo artist. She recorded infrequently after the expiration of her Verve contract in 1962 and her career seemed over when she nearly died of a heroin overdose in 1968. After kicking the habit, she made a comeback at the 1970 Berlin Jazz Festival. She also appeared in the films Zig Zag (1970) and The Outfit (1974). She resumed making live and studio albums, many recorded in Japan, and several were released on her own label, Emily Records.
O'Day spoke candidly about her drug addiction in her 1981 memoir, High Times, Hard Times.
Her version of the standard, "Sing, Sing, Sing" was remixed by RSL and was included in the compilation album Verve Remixed 3 in 2005.
2006 saw her first album release in 13 years, entitled Indestructible!.
The Peanut Vendor
Anita O'Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Peanuts
If you haven't got bananas, don't be blue
Peanuts in a little bag are calling you
For at the very break of day
A peanut vendor's on his way
Through every city, town, and country lane
You'll hear him sing his plaintive little strain
peanuts roasted today
Peanuts freshly roasted today
If you're looking for a moral to this song
Fifty million little monkeys can't be wrong
Peanuts, Money, money
Peanuts, Today
The lyrics to Anita O'Day's "Peanut Vendor" are a nostalgic tribute to a time when street vendors roamed the city streets, selling their wares to locals and tourists alike. The song paints a vivid picture of a peanut vendor, making his way through every city, town, and country lane, singing a "plaintive little strain." The lyrics advise listeners to not be blue if they don't have bananas, since they can always indulge in a little bag of peanuts. The peanuts in the bag are "calling" to them, reminding them that they can be enjoyed at any time of day.
The lyrics also mention that the peanuts are freshly roasted, which adds to their appeal. The singer notes that every day, at the very break of day, the peanut vendor sets off on his journey. He travels far and wide, intent on spreading the joy of peanuts to all who will listen. The song ends with a wry observation: "If you're looking for a moral to this song, fifty million little monkeys can't be wrong." This line could be interpreted as a nod to the fact that even though peanuts are a simple pleasure, they are beloved the world over.
Overall, the lyrics to "Peanut Vendor" are a sweet and earnest homage to a bygone era, when street vendors were a common sight in urban areas. The song is a reminder of the joys of simple pleasures, and how the things we love can bring us together.
Line by Line Meaning
Peanuts
The primary product being sold
Peanuts
Reiteration of the primary product being sold
If you haven't got bananas, don't be blue
Don't be disheartened if you don't have the perfect complement to the peanuts
Peanuts in a little bag are calling you
The peanuts are tempting and easily accessible in their small packaging
For at the very break of day
The peanut vendor starts his day early
A peanut vendor's on his way
The vendor is dedicated and always on the move
Through every city, town, and country lane
The vendor reaches all corners of the market
You'll hear him sing his plaintive little strain
The vendor's unique song helps him stand out in the crowded market
And the sing goes by to you he'll say
The vendor's song is directed at each potential customer
peanuts roasted today
The peanuts are fresh and hot
Peanuts freshly roasted today
Reiteration that the peanuts are fresh and hot
If you're looking for a moral to this song
This song has a moral/lesson to be learned
Fifty million little monkeys can't be wrong
The popularity of peanuts is undeniable and not to be ignored
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: L WOLFE GILBERT, MARY IJAMES, MOISES SIMONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@greeksalad4783
Listening to Anita O'Day in the year 2019!
Edit:
I first heard of Anita O'Day on Sirius Radio while driving to get coffee this morning. Love her voice on 'Johnny One Note.'
@nelbispo
Essa é a verdadeira Anita!🙌🏽🙊❤🤣
@dalalh5953
I was just a kid when I've heard this song. Thanks for sharing. Made my day 😄❣️
@tangobob5268
Same.. 😎
@LakeErieOH1
my favorite female jazz singer of all time, so glad she left us with such and so much good music/footage.
@drummel888
what a great version of a great song. Love it!
@paacer
Great version by Anita and great backing .
@bennyjazzful
WOW
Wonderful version of a great tune by a fantastic vocalist & the band are very good also.
From a 71yo Aussie fan.
@JorgeFGuerrero
Simpática versión de este clásico de la música popular latinoamericana. De destacar la voz de Anita O' Day.
@faville
I have this album--great song. Love 1:08.